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Pellegrini excited by Dortmund challenge

Manuel Pellegrini is eager to test his Malaga team against Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Malaga topped a group containing AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg and Anderlecht in what is their debut season in the competition, before seeing off Porto in the round of 16.

This week they host Bundesliga title holders Dortmund at Estadio La Rosaleda, where Pellegrini expects the visitors to provide a stern challenge.

"Nobody gave us a chance at the start and yet the players have responded so well. We eliminated Porto and that represented a huge achievement for the side. The merits this season have been won out on the pitch," Pellegrini said.

"I am delighted to be playing Dortmund as creative as they are. The fans will see a great game. Both teams like to have the ball and are very powerful.

"We will try to minimise their strengths while trying to play to ours. Dortmund have a great team, they have five players who start for the German national side. They have huge potential, are very creative in midfield but I think their main strength is in attack.

"You never know what the result in football will be, we can't know exactly what will happen. What I do know is that it is so important to get a good result to take into the away leg."

Defender Weligton Oliveira knows the hosts will have to be at their best to cope with the attacking flair of the German side.

"The truth is that it's just the best eight teams remaining," he said.

"All the teams are very difficult opponents with great players of great quality. I think we have to be ready, because it will be a very close game where Dortmund will try to get the victory, but we are conscious that we need to have the perfect game and be ready for the full 90 minutes."